The Women In The Pond
by FF.netfanHANNAH
Summary: A typical case leads to something else for our favourite crime fighting team, but I bet it's not what you're thinking. Rating may change later, But it most likely won't. Please R
1. Captured

**_A/N: This is my second fan fic. And I am starting this even though the other one is nowhere near finished. The idea has been in my head for about a month now and it wont leave, so I am hoping by posting it, it will give me some rest. _**

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bones...if I did, Zack wouldn't be Gormogan's apprentice and Angela would have divorced her husband and married Hodgins by now._

Chapter 1: Captivity

Running water. That was what she could hear. The sound of a tap running in the distance. And footsteps. Footsteps were sending vibrations through the floor. A floor that wasn't warm, soft or carpeted…but hard and cold, concrete. Opening her eyes, darkness surrounded her. No windows, no lights…nothing but a lone door with blinds over the glass to stop her from being able to see. Lifting her head off the floor seemed like such a hard task, but it need to be done so she could properly inspect her surroundings. Up in a sitting position, she surveyed the room, an open door that lead to what looked to be some sort of dishevelled bathroom, a cupboard like thing in the corner, the door hanging off and empty, and her. That was all that occupied this stone walled room.

Raising her hand to her head, she felt a warm, crusted surface on the back of her head. Pulling her hand away, she saw it was red, meaning she had suffered a blow to the head and probably not that long ago, judging by the scabbing. And it was most likely the cause of the head splitting migraine she had and this current moment in time. She tried to raise her other arm, but after a sharp pain shot through it, she lowered. Analysing the throbbing limp, she cam the conclusion she was suffering from the shattering of her right distil-radius and a minor fracturing of the humerus as well…meaning she had put up a fight against her captors.

She looked at the watch on her left right and read in the dim light that it was 5:30pm, judging by the lighting, and that she had been unconscious for almost whole two days.

Footsteps outside the door brought her attention back and she saw the silhouette of a tall male figure on the other side of the door. She watched as the doorknob turned and the door swung open.

"Hello, _Dr Brennan_."

**_A/N: I know short. But the rest won't be...shouldn't be...I hope. Reviews are welcome but flames are not. Constructive critisism yes. So go on...push the button..._**


	2. The Discovery

**_A/N: Here is Chappie 2. Enjoy_**

Chapter 2 – The Discovery

_Two Days Ago…_

Brennan pulled up her car at the crime scene. Climbing out of the car she spotted Booth and shouted out to him.

"Booth!"

"Ah, Bones. Finally decided to grace us with your presence." Booth spoke with and underline of sarcasm and held up the tape for her to duck under to enter the crime scene.

"Was that sarcasm?"

"Yeh. Well done, Bones." He spoke coldly at her.

"What did I do to deserve you in this mood?"

"You decided to work a case with me at 4 in the morning."

"Ok. Last I checked, I had no choice in the matter, you hung up on me before I could oppose to this." She poked him in the chest and Booth batted her hand away, annoyed.

"OK. A guy was out of the lake, fishing and his rod caught something big. Reels it in and he gets a partially decomposed hand. We get called in and the scuba team finds that." Booth pointed to the decomposed body lay on plastic on the shore of the lake.

The Forensic Anthropologist bent down next to the victim and began reciting facts about the corpse. "Female, aged between 30 and 40 years. She's recently given birth."

Brennan looked up at Booth a confused expression on her face.

"What?" Booth asked, his pen no longer poised over the notebook he had been taking notes in.

"Was there another victim found?"

"No, why?"

"These phalanges, they don't belong with his body."

"What, you're sure?"

"Well, unless this person has seven fingers on her left hand, I'm sure." Brennan pointed to the left hand of the victim and Booth bent down next to her.

"How the hell could they have not noticed the victim had seven fingers?" Booth stood up and looked around. "Hey…" he headed off to talk to one of the scuba team and left Brennan by the victim.

She looked around the site and saw something by the bushes. Standing up, she made her way towards them and failed to hear Booth shouting to stay close. "Bones…Bones!"

She reached forward and moved the bush aside to reveal a body, half submerged in the water, half covered by the bush. "Bones what are…Wow. Another victim?"

"Uh huh." Bending down next the victim she analysed this one too. "Exactly the same as the last victim, minus the seven fingers of course."

"Oh great, two victims. Now we have a serial Killer on our hands." Booth mumbled, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Actually, there should be at least three victims. The extra phalanges on the other victim didn't come from this one." Brennan pointed out, standing up and snapping her latex gloves off.

"Even better." Sarcasm oozed from his words.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Bones, it's just gone 4am, I have only had two coffees and I have just found out that we have at least three bodies on our hands, one of which we only have part of. So excuse me if I'm not Mr Sunshine." Booth sauntered off to one of the officers, with Brennan shouting after him.

"Booth, can you send all the bodies to the Lab?" Booth waved a hand in acknowledgment of her request and Brennan just sighed before making her way to her car and driving to the Lab.

_At the Lab…_

Zack stood hunched over one of the sets of remains, whilst Brennan examined another. The third one was resting on a table between them both, and some more partial remains had been found at the scene and were being recovered to be sent to the Jeffersonian. The three victims had been reported to be females between the ages of 25 and 40 and only the one had given birth. All of the women had been there for less than six months, with the pond wild life speeding up the decomposition time. All of the information had given Booth enough to check through missing persons while Angela tried to give each of them a face.

After an hour of looking at the remains, Brennan went to check on Angela, to see if she had made any progress on the facial reconstruction. As Brennan entered Angela's office, she saw a face floating on the Angelator and she saw Angela's expression as she stared at the face.

"Angela?" Brennan spoke quietly but it still made Angela jumped a little.

She turned around to face Brennan and had a look of calm, but her eyes said she felt otherwise. "Angela, are you o.k.?" She took a few steps towards her best friend and touched her shoulder. Something that made Angela smile, knowing Brennan was trying to get past her own discomfort of personal space to make her feel better.

"Yeh, Sweetie, I'm fine. It's just…" Angela stopped and looked back towards the still floating face on the Angelator.

"What?" Brennan inquired as she took a seat next to the artist, her hand still placed on her shoulder.

"Well…" Angela swivelled around completely, making Brennan's hand fall off her shoulder, "Does she look familiar to you?"

Brennan to, turned to the victim and stared at it intently, like she did with the victims bones. The face did begin to look familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

"Yes, she does. But I don't know why." Brennan paused for a second. "Send it to Booth. See if he can match it up with any missing persons." Brennan turned to her friend, who nodded at her demand and fiddled with the Angelator.

"I also have these two as well." Another face can up and that too looked familiar. Both the girls looked at each other. "See, I thought I recognised her too, but again I can't place her. It's the exact same with the last one." Angela brought up the last victim and Brennan sighed.

"Send them all to Booth. He should be able to get something. I'll be in my office if you need anything." Angela nodded again, and Brennan left for her office, to complete some of the paperwork awaiting her arrival.

Although she did not make it, for she was usurped by the bug guy.

"Dr B!" He shouted and Brennan turned to the sound of her name calling.

"Yes, Dr Hodgins?" He walked up to her and was stood next to her showing her a map with a bunch of red and green circles. "What am I looking at?" Brennan said with confusion.

"The red circles show where the bodies were found, and the green ones show where the soil and bug samples came from." Hodgins was not looking very happy.

"But, that's the lab." She looked up at Hodgins and saw him nodding. Brennan processed the information and made her way back to Angela's office, Hodgins tailing behind her.

"Angela. Can you pull up those pictures again?"

"Sure thing sweetie." Angela clicked on her electronic notebook and the three faces came up side by side.

"Hold on one second." Brennan said before exiting the room.

She came back in a few minutes later with Cam and Zack both behind. She pointed to the three victim's holographic faces "Do any of these look familiar?"

Everyone squinted at the faces and all seemed to recognise them but was unable to place were they had seen them.

"Dr Brennan, are these our victims?" cam voiced from the side of the Angelator, a look of confusion across her face.

"Yes, Dr Sorayon, but I think they're more than that. Angela could you try and compare each of these pictures to the security details of the Jeffersonian employees?"

"You think they're employees?" Cam voiced, before anyone else could.

"Yes, Hodgins found soil and insect evidence that would tie them somehow to have visited the Jeffersonian Institute some time around their time of death. And we all seemed to recognise each of them, so I thought that perhaps, we had seen them about this place and could remember their faces."

"That's smart." Cam seemed impressed. "Let me know when you get anything."

"Susan Morgan, Rebecca Jones and Kayla Carlton." All crowded around Angela to view her computer screen. Angela read out the information on the screen, "Susan Morgan was working in the Medieval and Renaissance Department, Rebecca Jones in the Middle eastern Department and Kayla Carlton in the Archaeology Department."

"So our killer is targeting Jeffersonian employees." Everyone turned to Brennan, and then gave fearful glances to one another, while Hodgins grip on Angela's shoulder tightened slightly.

"That's just great." Cam spoke spitefully and walked off in the direction of her office, but stopped at the door. "I don't want anyone leaving this lab yet. Dr Brennan, tell Booth about this." With her final words she left the room. The remaining people glanced around before filling out, leaving the room empty.

A/N hope you enjoyed. Theoretically, i should be uploading a chapter a week. though they proberly wont be long as i am revising for major exams, and my mum has limited my time on the computer.

**_A/N: Please, drop a review to tell what you thought._**

**_As you can probably tell by now, I am putting Zack in my story, so I am ignoring the Gormogon issue, and seeing as this is just happening randomly in the time line, but after any events that have been talked about in the fic. _**

**_Sorry if that makes it confusing. (_**


	3. Informing the Familes

**A/N: I know I said it was an update a week. But I got inspiration to write this, and with all the writer's block i get, who am I to ignore inspiration? So here is the third chappie. Enjoy. **

Chapter 3 – Informing the Families

"Bones! BONES!" Booth shouted as he entered the lab. The phone call had been brief, but he got enough information to want to get to the lab as soon as possible. He swiped his card to gain access tot eh platform.

"Hey have you lot seen Bones?" He addressed Hodgins, Zack, and Angela who were all on the platform, slight panic entered his voice that only Angela was able to ascertain.

"Booth, turn around." Angela twirled her fingers in a turn motion and the FBI Agent did as he was told.

There she was, stood talking to Cam. And she didn't look that worried considering it was every possibility that she could be the next victim. She just laughed at something the Cam had said, the world must be turning upside down.

"Hey Bones!" Booth called to her and both woman turned and looked at him as he made his way down the platform steps. He caught the end of their conversation.

"Ok. I'll talk to you later Brennan." Brennan nodded and with that, Cam walked away.

"Hey, Booth. What's up?" She asked him calmly, as though she was unaware of their new case.

He had to think up an excuse. If he told her the real reason he came, to protect her, then she would start a rant on Alpha Male tendencies and if there was time kick his ass for insinuating that she needed his protection. "Well, when you called and said that there was someone out there targeting Jeffersonian employees, I kind of wanted to know what brought you to that conclusion. So I decided to come over."

"Uh huh. And to check up on me." She spoke with a know-it-all smile on her face.

"What. No…no, no Bones. I didn't come here…" he was cut off then by Brennan.

"Booth, we both know that you did come here to check up on me so just save us the time of arguing and just admit it so I can fill you in and get back to work." She placed her hands on her hips and stared him down.

Still in slight shock of the fact that Brennan could now read him like a book, he took a few minutes to reply. "Fine, o.k. I came here to check up on you. But I _do_ want to know what you've got so far and how exactly you knew all of this."

"Angela did a facial reconstruction of the three victims and we all recognised them but couldn't remember where we had seen them. Then Hodgins found particulates congruent with the victims being here shortly before their death. Add two and two together, I had Angela compare her sketches to the security ID's of the employees and we had three matches." She handed him the file that she had been holding of the information on the three victims.

"Wow, Bones. I'll turn you into an investigator yet." He replied with his cocky, charm smile.

"No, I love field work with you but I would be lost without my lab." She brushed past him and they both began to walk in sync with each other to Brennan's office.

"Did you just say you love working with me?" Booth was still smiling, whilst Brennan's face went to thoughtful.

"I guess I did." She smiled and sat behind her desk while Booth sat in front of her.

"Well, just for the record Bones, I like working with you too." Booth spoke shyly.

"I know." Confidence was glowing from her face and those two words.

"How can you be so sure?" He asked leaning back in to the chair.

"Because, in near the beginning of our partnership you said that you enjoy my company. Therefore you must like working with me." Now it was her turn to display the cocky grin as she booted up her computer.

Booth's face blushed slightly, but he just laughed it off with her.

They had managed to find the next of kin for all of the victims and had arranged to meet them at the J Edgar Hoover Building. The partners were currently part way through informing Mr and Mrs Jones of their daughter's death.

"And you…you're sure that it's our Beccs?" Mrs Jones sniffed quietly and held her husbands hand for support.

"Yes Ma'am. We're certain." Booth replied looking over to Brennan who was stood by the window watching the conversation.

The mourning mother found comfort in her husband's arms, her head pressed to his shoulder, silent tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"Can we, see her?" Mr Jones inquired, trying to soothe his wife at the same time.

"I'm sorry sir, but it's inadvisable that you see her."

"And why exactly would we not want to see our daughter, Agent Booth?" The man's voice getting agitated as his wife's sobs subsided.

"Well…" Booth began to reply but was cut off by Brennan as she stepped forward and addressed the grieving pair.

"Excuse me Sir, but maybe I should explain my job. You see, I'm called in when…when people have become unrecognisable, through various reasons."

"Oh good God." Mr Jones tightened the arm around his wife slightly but to both Brennan and Booth's surprise, her sobs did not escalate. Instead she raised her head and nodded at them, before whispering to her husband that they should leave.

Mr Jones nodded and they both stood up.

"Excuse us. We have to go." He addressed both the partners and the couple made their way to the door.

"Excuse, Mr Jones, Mrs Jones." Booth stood up and the pair turned around. "I was wondering if there is anyone in particular you think could give us any information on your daughter."

"Um…there is one person, Denise. Denise Moran. She is…was her best friend and they shared and apartment. She might be able to help."

"Thank you Sir." The couple then left.

Booth took a seat behind his desk, and Brennan sat in front of him, the room was silent.

"So, what do we do know?"

"Know, Bones. Know we wait to talk to the Morgan's and the Carlton's." He replied leaning back into his seat awaiting the arrival of the families.

Both the other interviews went similarly, the Morgan's provided the partners with a name of a suspect, Joseph Delaney, Susan Morgan's ex-husband. He wanted custody of their daughter and fought with her constantly about it. Unfortunately for him, she won in the court argument and she left custody to her parents should anything happen to her. Booth said it was worth checking out.

Miss Carlton told them that there was a guy who had begun to follow her home a few times and was always calling and leaving thinks for her. She told her that she wasn't interested and made it clear to him on several occasions, but he was just as insistent.

After Miss Carlton had left, Booth took Brennan to the lab and told her to inform him if anything cam up. She assured him he would be the first person to know if anything happened or was discovered and her left. Brennan made her way to her office and sat in front of her computer and began to type away.

**A/N: So what do you think? Drop a review to share your thoughts. Spelling mistakes are proberly present so just tell me in a review and i'll try to adjust them. **


	4. Little Run In

**_A/N: Heres chapter 4. Sorry it's a bit short, but i'll post a chapter five soon. Hopefully._**

Chapter 4 – Little Run In

Brennan brain switched on, but her eyes refused open. She could movement, the shuffling of feet. Then a light tap; something being put down on her desk. She opened her eyes to see Zack's retreating back and a steaming hot mug of coffee on her desk. It took her mind back to when she and the team (including Booth) worked on the case of the girl who got pregnant by her boss, a senator, who then told her boyfriend to murder her.

She raised her head and moved her hand to pick up the mug of coffee. Sipping it, careful not to burn her mouth, and placing it back on her desk, she rubbed her eyes and tried to make them focus on her office. Looking at the computer screen, she determined that she had managed to turn that off and was beginning to work on the file.

Picking up the coffee, she drained the mug, left it on the table, and made her way out of her office.

Booth casually strolled into the lab with a large smile on his face but seeming slightly tired, looking around for Brennan. Seeing she wasn't on the platform he made his way to her office. When she wasn't there either he stepped back out of the office, confused, and came across a grinning Angela.

"What?" Booth asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"What's up Booth?" Angela asked in her flirty voice, careful not to let her fiancé hear, who was currently arguing with Zack on the platform about God only knows what.

"Nothing Ange, you seen Bones?" Booth put his hands in his pockets and stared at her, confusion still evident.

"Maybe. But it's gonna cost you." A devilish grin now replacing her old one.

Booth looked at her curiously. When ever someone asked him for a favour it never ended well for him. "And, what exactly would that be?" His hands out of his pockets and arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Well, I would like to know what exactly you are doing looking for Bren at…" she consulted her watch, "…9 in the morning. And why exactly you looked so giddy and tired looking when you came in? You after something in particular from her?" A teasing tone in her questions, which made Booth slightly uncomfortable and Angela's grin expand even more.

"O.k. Angela I have no idea why you seem so happy, but I'm here to get Bones because we have to go interrogate a lot of people today and she wanted to get a head start. But I don't know why I am looking tired or happy." Booth's nervousness and uncomfortable ness made his speech even funnier for Angela.

"Are you sure you don't know. You and Bren didn't stay up late together last night did you?" She had that inquiring tone that Booth always associated with her trying to insinuate a perfectly harmless situation is actually being dirty situation.

"Yes Ange, I'm sure, I didn't see Bones after I dropped her off here after informing the families. By the way, have you seen her?" He had begun shifting from on foot to the other. To Angela he looked really nervous, but about what?

"Yeh. She spent all night her so she wanted to go home and change in to some clean clothes." Angela said, biting back laughter at the way Booth relaxed and then looked really annoyed at her.

"You mean you have been interrogating me about whether I spent the night with Bones even though you knew perfectly well she was here all night?" Hands on his hips, he looked pretty annoyed, but Angela was too happy to really notice how annoyed he was.

"Yep. Just to watch you squirm. And to see if I could actually get any juicy information out of you." With that, Angela clicked her heels and left.

Booth made his way towards the exit, running into Brennan on the way.

"Oh, sorry. Hey Bones, there you are. You ready to go?" the conversation with Angela had been pushed from her mind.

"Oh, um…yeah sure. Let's, get going." She said, gesturing to the exit.

"Ok." Booth placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her out.

"Wait was I right?" Brennan stopped abruptly; catching Booth off guard and making him almost run in to her.

"Right? About what?" He said, recovering from the near collision.

"The saying, did I get it right. 'Let's get going'?" A smile spreading across her face.

"Yeh. Well done Bones. I am finally getting you join the human species. At last." A grin forming his face and a slight scowled forming on hers, as they both left the lab.

**_A/N: Thanks for reading and hope you review. Chapter 5 should arrive soon. And it will have the interviews of various people from the victims lives. _**


	5. Meet the Suspects, Part 1

**A/N: O.K. Here's chapter five. Now it might be short as it is only part one. I got a bit further than this but then couldn't think what to put, to instead of making you wait for the whole thing i split it into two and this seemed to be appropriate as part one. Hopefully part two will be up soon. So, thanks for waiting, now here's your reward.**

Chapter 5 – Meet the Suspects, Part 1

The two partners were sat inside Rebecca Jones' last residence, talking to the weeping roommate, friend, Denise Moran.

"I knew that…that…she h…had to be dea…de…dead." She paused to sniff and wipe some tears from her wet cheeks. "But, when you hear it…and it's confirmed…" She brought a tissue to her face and wiped away the newly formed tears tracks.

Brennan and Booth gave her sympathetic looks. "We're sorry for your loss." Brennan spoke looking towards Booth who wordlessly said that was the right thing to do.

"Did…did she suffer?" Denise asked, her tears come relatively under control, but the occasional sniffle was omitted.

"We aren't…" Booth began but Brennan cut him off.

"No, she didn't suffer." She surprised Booth, and even herself with what she had said. Normally Booth was the reassuring one. He gave her another encouraging smile.

"Good…good" Denise spoke in a low tone, the partners barely heard.

Booth cleared his throat lightly, gaining Denise's attention. "We were wondering if you could give us any insight as to who could have been responsible for her disappearance."

Um…well she had a boyfriend." Denise said, slightly distracted. Both Brennan and Booth's demeanours showed they were suddenly very interested in what the roommate had to say.

"Really?" Booth said, taking his notebook and pen out.

"Yeah, well actually I think he was her ex." She began twisting the ring on her index finger.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she planned on breaking up with him on the day she disappeared. But she had been planning on breaking up with him for the last week, and hadn't, so I don't know if they were ex's or not." She stopped twisting the ring on her finger.

"And, um, what was his name?"

"Um, Phillip…Phillip B…something. Sorry terrible memory. Um…I know they met at work, at the Jeffersonian Institute." She had a thoughtful expression, as though she was trying to remember something.

"I'm sure it will come back to you." Booth gave her a smile as he put the pen and notebook back in his pocket.

"Well, I know I had to write it down at some point, on the back of an interview letter. See I was unemployed at the time, and I probably still have that piece of paper around here somewhere, amongst all my…filing" She indicated the piles of papers that had taken residence next to the couch on the floor.

"Well if you locate it, would please give us a call?" Booth stood up and Brennan followed suit.

She nodded too them. "Yeah sure. Anything." Denise led them to the door and the two left.

"So, is there anyway you can just search the Jeffersonian database?" Booth asked Brennan as they both climbed in to the SUV.

Brennan chuckled slightly before replying. "Booth, you do know that there's way more than one Phillip working at the Jeffersonian?"

"How many more?" He pulled out of the driveway and started down the road.

"Um, there's Michaels, Cooke, Patterson, McGregor, Winston, Fields, Carmichael…"

"O.k. Bones. I get the point, a lot of Phillips." He turned the key and turned on the ignition, before looking back at Brennan with a perplexed expression. "How do you know those all those names?"

"Oh, I have my ways." She gave him a cheeky smile, which he returned with a casual smile at his partner's child ness, then turned to look out the window while Booth pulled out onto the road.

"So, Booth. Where are we going now?" She turned back to him and Booth stole a quick glance at her before turning back to the road.

"Well, now, we go and give the ex-husband a little visit." Brennan nodded her head and stared back out the window.

The rest of the car ride was filled with a comfortable silence.

When they pulled up to the ex's house they could actually see why the court had decided he was an unfit father. Joseph Delaney's house was dishevelled, and looked as though it was falling apart. The paint was peeling off the outside walls, and the front garden looked as though it hadn't seen water ever in its lifetime. Patches of the area were just plain mud, dirt that had been upturned when a car had pulled off.

As Booth and Brennan stepped out of the SUV and eyed the house, a man, who reflected the demeanour of the house, stepped out and addressed the partners.

"Hey you two. I don't know who you are but this is private land and I would like you two to leave, now." He came within a few feet of the pair, and was pointing down the road, emphasising his point that he want them gone.

"Excuse me sir, i'm..." Booth began but Delaney wasn't going to hear it.

"Hey, I said I don't care who you are I want you off my land." He turned to Brennan and spoke to her. "And you too." He turned back to Booth who continued talking as if he hadn't been interrupted.

"…Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner Dr Temperance Brennan, and were investigating the disappearance of your ex-wife, Susan Morgan." The two men stood stock still. Delaney seemed to be considering his options before he spoke again.

"I still don't care. Get off my property." With that he turned and walked straight back into his, for lack of a better word, house.

Brennan and Booth just looked at each other then turned and walked back to the SUV.

After fastening their seatbelts Brennan spoke, "Well, that was a waste of time."

Booth huffed as he turned the ignition on again and pulled out the driveway, heading back to the Jeffersonian. Again, the ride was silent and both of them knew it, but it was a comfortable silence so they both let it engulf them, allowing them time to think.

* * *

Booth and Brennan where both Brennan's office, discussing the events so far and who the likely suspects were.

"Well, I think it's the ex husband. He seemed really unsocial and pretty mean. Perfect suspect" Booth said as he slumped down on the couch.

"Yes, it could be possible that he is _Susan's _murderer, but theirs is no link between him and the other victims." Brennan too sat down on the couch next to Booth, but a little less hard than him.

"Well, what about the ex-boyfriend?" Booth asked, turning towards Brennan.

"Again, motive for the ex, nothing for the other two." She spoke to the coffee table in front of her, thinking of who could be the killer.

"Well, that leaves us with the stalker. I mean, he could have stalked the other girls as well and they might not have even known." Booth sat up straight and bumped his shoulder with Brennan's, giving her a smile as she turned her head to face him. A smile which she returned.

"Now that is a plausible suspect, but we don't know who the stalker is." The last bit was said with slight depression.

"Well, we could interview Miss Carlton again and see if she can give us anything." Booth smile faded slightly and the thought of there not being much chance of finding this mystery stalker.

"But last time she wasn't able to, why this time?"

"I know Bones, but it's worth a try. It's the closest thing we have to a lead." Booth too sounded slightly depressed. Both leaning back on the couch simultaneously, they turned and faced each other and smile crept across both their faces. They sat and stared at each other, quite at ease. There smiles left their faces but the twinkle in their eyes didn't and with there faces inches apart there breathe had started to mingle, eyes never leaving each other.

"O.K Booth." Brennan stood up, ruining the moment, and walked over to her desk then rounded to face Booth, perching on the very edge of the desk. "I have work to do and I know you'll only distract me by being here so you should probably leave now."

Booth then stood up. "Well, just because I'm not here doesn't mean im not going to distract you." He gave Brennan an impish smile as he brushed past her, gaining a light slap on the arm.

When he had left her office Brennan grabbed her lab coat from the hanger and slipped it on, before striding out to talk to her team about the recent developments and to see if they gathered any more information.

**A/N: If you thought is was rubbish, then review and tell me what to do to change it and i'll try to improve it. **

**If you thought to was good, review and tell me that.**

**And if you didn't think it was good or bad, review any way, beacause reviews brighten up my day. (how sad is that?)**


	6. Meet the Suspects, Part 2

**A/N: So sorry for the delayed update. Time is a precious a thing and should be treasured for more cannot be pulled out of thin air. This I learnt this week, for I got totally lost and thought that it was Wednesday when it was actually Friday. My bad. Anyway, the awaited chapter 6 (a continuation of chapter 5)...**

Chapter 6 – Meet the Suspects, Part 2

Booth was stood on the doorstep of Miss Regina Carlton house, waiting for a reply to his knock. A few seconds later, the slowly swung open and a slightly bleared eyed Regina stood there.

"Oh, Agent Booth. Come in?" she opened the door slightly more, allowing Booth entry to the well kept house. He stopped in the hallway, and waited for Miss Carlton to come. She came and led him towards the living room.

"Would you like anything to drink? Tea, coffee…" she threw the question over her shoulder and came to stand in front of her couch, gesturing for Booth to sit down.

"Um, no thank you Miss Carlton."

"Regina, just call me Regina." She too sat down, opposite Booth and waited silently for the string of questions she was expecting.

"Um…I'm sorry to have to disturb you again, but I was wondering if there is anything you could possibly tell me about this stalker. Anything? Like, whether his voice was deep…stuff like that." Booth paused as he saw that Regina was in deep thought.

"Well, I think I may have seen him once. Although, it was more his silhouette than him. You see, it was one late night, about…eleven o'clock at night, and I heard the doorbell ring. Anyways, I wondered who would be round here at this time so before I opened the door I looked out the window, and I saw a figure walking on the sidewalk across the street. I thought nothing of it, he was walking quickly and he was stumbling slightly. I just thought it was one of the neighbours going home late after a night of drinking or something. They do that sometimes." She looked over at Booth to check h was still following and paying attention. Seeing he was she continued.

"Anyway I went to the front door and I found a box for Kayla. Later she revealed it was from her stalker, but she refused to tell me who it was, said she could deal with it on her own. She wanted to prove to me she could handle herself. You see, when she was a child I was very protective of her, and when she was in high school she got a scholarship out of town. I didn't want her to go, so we made a deal. If she lived here, with me then I would let her do certain things on her own. This was one of them. And now..." She stopped as a few tears began to form in her eyes.

"Regina, do you think you could describe this person to me?" Booth looked inquiringly at her and she slowly nodded her head.

"Um, well he was about six footish, cant be sure, he was hunched over. Um… I would say that he had quite light hair, perhaps a light brown colour and cut short. But it was night and I only saw him as he went under the streetlamp for a few seconds so I can't be sure. Um, he was white skinned, and it may have been him drunk, or acting it, but he had a slight limp. Quite noticeable unless he was just intoxicated."

"Thank you Miss Carlton. That has been quite helpful." Booth stood up gave the woman a light smile, which she returned. She then too stood up and showed him to the door.

When Booth got in the car, he made the notes in his notebook about the stalker. He had forgotten in the house. He then made his way to the Jeffersonian. _Perhaps Bones would like to interview the next suspect?_

* * *

At the Jeffersonian, Brennan was bent over one set of remains, Susan Morgan's, whilst Zack was examining another set, Rebecca Jones'.

"Dr Brennan?" Zack's voice carried over the noises of machines buzzing in the otherwise quiet lab.

"Yes Zack?" Brennan lifted her head to meet Zack's confused gaze.

"I was examining the femur and I noticed this mark." He lifted the femur and pointed out the markings as Brennan made her way around her table and to Zack's side. Talking the bones out of Zack's hands, she examined the pattern. "It's just I don't recall these markings being found in any of the pre-examinations."

"No Zack. I don't think they were found before. Good work. Why don't you try and match these markings to something. Maybe it will give us something. A place, another weapon…" She handed the femur back to Zack and he scurried off to examine the bone under some microscopes.

Brennan was just turning back to her set of remains when she heard a voice calling her name, or rather her nickname.

"Hey Bones." Booth swiped his card and made his way onto the platform to stand next to his partner.

"Hey Booth, what you got?" She turned her back to the skeletal remains to address her partner.

"I have a partial description of our stalker. I only got approximate height and hair colour and length, but, it's a start. And you said we wouldn't be able to get anything from Miss Carlton." He poked her lightly on the shoulder and batted his hand away.

"Hey, you didn't think you could get anything either." She stated before turning to the remains of Susan Morgan.

"Yeh well…" Booth was speechless as to how to reply to this, so decided on the real reason he was there. "So Bones. Feel like going and interviewing the ex boyfriend?"

"Well, how do you know who it is?" Brennan crossed her arms in front of her chest and gazed confused at Booth.

"Well, the roommate found the piece of paper and the name. Phillip Barrett is his name. So interested in some interviewing?" He too had now crossed his arms.

"Um…yeah Booth just give me a second." Brennan replied before placing a bone back on the table.

"Oh, no. Whenever you say a second it means an hour. Either give me a yes or no." _Hopefully a yes._

"Yes, I said yes but just give me a second. I just need to go and switch my coats." She stated before walking off to her office, removing her lab coat on the way.

Booth slowly made his way down the steps and to the exit, joined by Brennan a moment later, before heading out the exit. Brennan turned left in the corridor whilst Brennan turned right. They both rounded and simultaneously asked, "Where are you going?"

Brennan replied first, "Well you said we were going to interview the ex boyfriend. So I was heading to the car."

"Yes we are. But he works at the Jeffersonian in the Medieval and Renaissance, which is this way." He pointed behind him and had a slight grin one his face at his partner's mistake.

"Oh." Brennan walked towards Booth and past him down the direction he was pointing.

About ten minutes later, and three wrong turns, they had made it to the Medieval Department and were trying to locate Phillip Barrett. Brennan asked one of the employees and she directed them to him.

Booth and Brennan reached the man the woman had pointed out and, with his back to them, Brennan tapped him on his shoulder. The man turned around and gave the two partners a warm smile.

"Hey, Phillip Barrett?" Booth asked the smiling man who just nodded his head.

"Special Agent Booth, FBI, this is my partner Dr Brennan. We were wondering if we could talk to you about a certain Miss Rebecca Jones."

Barrett's face fell at the mention of her name and he crossed his arms defensively. "Look, I don't care what anyone says I did not threaten her. Can't you people drop it, it's been three months now…"

"Wait, Mr Barrett we aren't here about some threat made on her."

His face turned from annoyed and angry to confused and a little bit scared. "Oh. Well, then what do you want?"

"We are here to discuss her murder." Brennan said bluntly, speaking loud enough to get a few looks from passing people and glare from Booth.

"What? You mean they actually did it?" Both partners turned to Barrett and saw the look of horror on his face.

"What do you mean, 'actually did it'?" Booth took a step closer to Barrett while Brennan merely crossed her arms.

"Well, the day after she disappeared, a threatening note was found on her front door when her roommate got home, saying that they were going to kill her."

"And, what did you do?" Booth had started to get a bit suspicion of this person. He had also noticed he kept looking at Brennan, but whenever Booth would ask a question his gaze would land briefly on him, before going back to Brennan.

"Well, after I got over the fact that I was getting blamed for this, I told her go give it to the police and get them to do something. Little did I know that that something was getting the police to question me on it." Barrett was obviously getting a little angry at the memory of this.

"And what did you do when you realised that Rebecca Jones was actually missing?" Brennan was also starting to get a little nervous of him. Not only did he keep looking at her, but he didn't seem to be that bothered about his girlfriend's disappearance or this threatening letter.

"Well, I thought maybe she had one home or something. She had been talking for weeks about going back home to live with her parents for a few months. I thought it was us breaking up that pushed her to go." He was quite calm whilst talking to Brennan, which unnerved her a little.

"When did you two break up?"

"Um she broke up with me in the morning and then her roommate, Denise, told me the next morning she didn't come home and asked if she stayed over mine. I told her she had been on about going to see her parents and if she didn't come home that she had probably gone there. Being such a free spirit as she was, I wouldn't have been surprised if she took off without telling anyone." The last statement was said with a slight hint of bitterness, as though it was a recurring thing for her to do that.

"And, um, how did Denise Moran get hold of you? You see she didn't even know you last name so I find it hard to believe she had your name or address, or something." Not only was he feeling that this ex boyfriend was involved, but perhaps the roommate knew something.

"She came in here that morning and that was the only time. Never needed to before." Barrett could see that the agent was starting to suspect him.

Booth nodded his head slightly. "Well…That'll be all. Thanks."

Both the partners turned and walked away, Booth's hand on the small of her back, and Barrett's gaze following Brennan before she left his sight.

"O.k. He was, for lack of a better word, creepy." Brennan voice was a little quieter than normal and Booth picked up on it.

"Yeah." He looked down at Brennan with a worried gaze and she continued to stare forward as they made their way back to the Medico-Legal Lab.

"I mean, was it just me or did he keep looking at me?" Brennan's voice was a little louder, but still not quite right.

"No, it's not you. I noticed that too." Booth noticed how his voice was distracted, and had Brennan not also been distracted, she would have also noticed that.

"To be honest, it's slightly unnerving. They way he kept staring at me didn't help either." Brennan brought her arms around herself slightly tightly. The thought of it made her shiver.

"Yeah, I noticed that too." Booth moved his hand from the small of her back and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Pulling her a little closer than she liked but she didn't move. Brennan knew he was just trying to reassure her and if she moved, he would have the distinct feeling he had done something wrong, or that she was trying to close herself off to him. That she didn't want him to know, even if it was true.

**A/N: Well there's chapter 6. Please review it and the next one might not be so delayed. I said might...right? Please review!**


	7. Reassurance, Part 1

**A/N: O.k. Chapter 7. Let me know what you think. Please...**

Chapter 7 – Reassurance Part 1

The two made their way to Brennan's office where Brennan sat down in her chair and Booth remained stood in the doorway.

"Hey, Bones, are you o.k.?" Booth asked her with a hint of a worried tone in his voice.

"I'm doing just fine Booth." She replied, seeming very irritated.

"You're not worried or anything?" he asked, as though implying that she should be.

"No. Should I be?" Brennan asked, turned away from her computer after closing it down, giving her full attention to Booth.

"No, I mean the fact that there's some psychopathic killer out there that is targeting female, Jeffersonian employees, who could be after anyone, and the fact that you've got a new, creepy admirer who also works here, is nothing to be worried about." Booth pulled his hand through his hair and sat down in the chair across from her.

"What is with you?" Brennan turned to a few files on her desk and started to shuffle them.

"What do you mean?" Booth leant forward on the table, placing his hands linked on the surface.

"Well, you seem to be even more annoying...and protective today. And it's really starting to…to tick me off." Brennan replied, with each paused she gave she slammed a file on top of the previous one to emphasise her point. She then stood up and made her way around her desk with the files and dropped them on her table, before sitting down on her couch.

"Yeh, I know." Booth span around in the chair to face her as she began to read through the files on in front of her. Then, she began shuffling them again, with more force than necessary, causing paper to get crumpled and to be blown all over the place from the draft caused by slamming them back on to the table.

"Bones?" Booth made his way over to the couch and sat next to her.

"What?" she didn't look up at him but her aggravated tone was still there.

He moved a piece of hair that was dangling in front of her face, and tucked it behind her ear. "What's wrong?"

Brennan huffed before replying. "Nothing's wrong Booth." She could feel his gaze still on her, so she put the files down and put her head in her hands, with her elbows resting on her knees. And let out a deep sigh.

"I'm not going to be able to get away with lying am I?"

"Nope." Booth said this with an overly big amount of confidence and cockiness that made then both laugh. She turned to face him, with a once more sad face and he cupped her cheek with his hand. "You're gonna be alright." He said, calmly and softly, with his thumb gently caressing her cheek.

Brennan sat up a bit more, making Booth's hand fall and rested the side of her head on Booth's shoulder. A smile graced his lips as he placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him in a one armed, side hug. Angela chose that moment to walk in.

"Aww, you two look so cute together." a grin across her face as she mused loudly to them, but mostly herself, knowing they would just deflect any thing she said about them.

Brennan sat up straight, and Booth's arm side from around her shoulders, to subtly resting around her waist, a move neither partner was aware of but a very observant artist caught.

"Angela, what do you want?" said Brennan kindly but tiredly, ignoring the fact that she had just walked in on her and Booth having one of their 'moment's' as it's called.

"I just…came by to just…You know what, it doesn't matter. Just, continue…" Angela turned on her heel and headed out of her office.

The partners turned to each other. "What was that about?"

"Hold on a second and I'll go see." Brennan said, standing up and immediately feeling the loss as if some source of warmth around her waist. She realised Booths arm must have subconsciously moved there after it slipped from her shoulders. _Yeah, that sounds about right._

Seeing Angela making her way up the stairs and to the over head lounge, Brennan jogged to catch up to her.

"Hey, Angela?" She met Angela about half way up the stairs.

"Hey Sweetie." Angela was grinning from ear to ear.

Ignoring the large grin, Brennan pressed fro the reason she had followed her.

"Hey Angela, are you o.k.?" she said, moving up the stairs so that she was level with Angela.

"Well, it was nothing important but now that I have you…" Angela looped her arm through Brennan's and began walking up the stairs to the lounge, which was deserted, "…I would like to know what was going one between you and your knight in shinning, FBI standard issue, body armour?" The grin on her face getting wider.

"Angela, nothing is going on between me and Booth. He was just comforting me." _There, that should make you happy._

"Oh really?" that smile now getting impossibly wider, and Brennan couldn't help but laugh at how Angela seemed to make everything some sort of sexual innuendo.

"Look Angela. Nothing is, nor will ever be, happening between me and Booth." She said as they made their ways to the couch.

"Aww, c'mon sweetie. I think he likes you." Angela released Brennan's arm, just so she could push her onto the couch and fall down besides her.

"Oh for God's sake, Ange. Why are you constantly trying to get me and Booth together?" Brennan queried, moving a few inches away from Angela.

"Because, it makes life…interesting. Besides, everyone knows that you two are made for each other. Everyone here knows it. Even Zack knows it for crying out loud. And he is even more socially inept than you are, especially when it comes to these types of things."

"Look Angela. You all may think that Booth and I are suited for each other, but there isn't anything between us." Brennan crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Oh really?"

"Yes Really."

"Uh huh."

"Look Angela, I know you all seem to think me and Booth would be a good couple and are attracted to each other, and I'm not going to deny that he is quite good looking, or as you would say 'hot', but you also have to realise that we are not best suited for each other. We bicker all the time, we don't agree on over half of the same morals, he's religious I'm not, he wants children, I have not intention of ever conceiving a child, we…"

"O.k. enough. Look sweetie, you know I love you to bits and pieces, really, but cry me a river! I agree, you two do bicker and awful lot, and you don't have the same views on…well a lot of different things, but you both care for each other so much I don't think that anything else should matter. I see the way he looks at you when you're not looking. Your really special to him sweetie. And I think he is special to you too. When you were buried underground…he was so mad. He tried to make Zack think unlogically. And when he was kidnapped by Gallagher, you joined forces with the father that abandoned you to find him. And you lied your ass off to the FBI. Now, what do you think of that?" She ended with one hell of a smile on her face and Brennan had a look of utter shock.

"I can't believe you Ange." The shock still there, but a bit of anger underlining it.

"What, what did I say?" Angela asked, looking very confused.

"Well…everything. Look Ange, you have to stop trying to push us together. If we're half as _destined_ to be together as everyone seems to think, then in the end we'll end up together, somehow. But just, stop forcing the issue. Please." With that Brennan stood up and left Angela sat alone on the couch, mulling over everything, trying to find some way to get these 'just partners' together and whether Brennan really was as angry as she seemed. _Maybe I pushed a little too hard this time._

**A/N: And there we have chapter 7. I think that the characters are starting to get out of character so please let me know what you think. It would really help me to know whether or not to re-write this chapter. and the next one. **


	8. Anger Management

**A/N: Just a shorty. A filler really. This was just the begining of chapter 8 but I hit a dead end and this seemed like a good place to stop it so you faithful views would get some sort of update. Anyways, her it is. Enjoy...**

Chapter 8 – Anger Management

Brennan was sat at home, on her couch nursing her fourth large glass of wine. The bottle was almost empty now. After talking to Angela she had stormed back to her office, practically running anyone in her way down. When she arrived there she found Booth sat on her couch, feet up on the coffee table. As a result of that, and her short temper, he had been forcefully kicked out of the office and given a lecture on manners. She calmed down slightly after examining the remains for a while, but still had a pretty short fuse. After shouting at Cam about accidentally moving a few bones by accident, she had been sent home to unwind. Problem was, the longer she sat in the silence, the angrier she got at the comments that Angela had made.

_Why can't Angela just except that nothing will ever happen between me and Booth? _A voice in her head spoke up.

_Because it's not true. _Another voice added to the internal argument.

_Yes it is. Booth and I are totally incompatible. F we were to pursuit a romantic relationship, we would fight non-stop._

_Like you do now?_

_No, we don't argue, we bicker. _

_Yes, like an old married couple._

_No we don't. We argue like partners, friends that have different and feel we must express said opinions. That's why we argue._

_You argue because you feel you can say anything to him. Or maybe that if you argue with him, he won't get so close to you and leave you like everyone else has._

_That's not true. We argue because we think differently. And I don't need to keep him away because the only people who leave are the ones I love._

_Exactly. _

_No, it's not true. I don't love Booth, nor will I ever._

_Sure not. That's why you push him away. Try to keep him from puncturing that cold exterior. That way, when he does leave, it won't hurt like it did when other loved ones left._

_Booth wouldn't leave. And if he did, I would be perfectly fine. I managed to operate without him before. I can after. And I don't love him. _

_Sure you do. You love him. That's why he gets to close and breaks down those walls. And why he has to be pushed away when he does get to close._

_No, he gets pushed away because I like to keep certain things private. I don't want him taking over my life. _

_Because it would be too hard when he leaves you. / just like everyone else. Your mother, you father, your brother. And eventually him too._

"SHUT UP!" Brennan screamed at the voice in her head. In her anger, she threw the wine glass at the wall opposite, where it smashed into little shards and the red liquid that once occupied it spread across the once clean carpet.

Feeling as though the alcohol had gone to her head, she cleared up the mess and headed off to bed. A night of restless sleeping awaiting her.

**A/N: What do you think. Little ooc, skitsofrenci... Tell me what you think so I dont feel I have to re-write it. **


	9. Reassurance, Part 2

**A/N: Yet aonther shorty, but like I said it's just fillers. Now again I would like to asske for reviews so I know im doing my job right or if I need to correct it. **

Chapter 9 – Reassurance Part 2

The resounding headache that followed the next morning was enough to make her swear off drinking. Well, almost. If it weren't for the consumption of alcohol that she had last night then she wouldn't have come to the realisation that the reason those words angered her so much was because she cared for him too much. But how?

She didn't want a romantic relationship that much she knew. But the feelings she had for him were slightly more than partnerly, even friendly. So what kind of relationship _did_ she want with him. Normally she would ask Angela but she could tell that talk would only end in either another fight or her somehow being convinced that there was love somewhere in it from both sides. And probably tears and humiliation by the end.

But she had no choice. Brennan had to talk to Angela about this or it would give her restless nights for maybe ever.

Climbing out of bed on the alarm, she fell into her morning routine, before grabbing her coffee and climbing in her car to drive to the Jeffersonian.

Upon reaching there she swiftly dropped her stuff off in her own office before making her way over to her Best friend's office.

She knocked at the door and the artist looked up. Brennan knew she was no good at reading people but she thought that he saw a little fear in her eyes, and possible the evidence of tears, long since stopped.

"Angela are you o.k.?" Brennan sat down next to her best friend.

"Yeh, Bren. It's just…"

"What?"

"I'm scared. I'm scared that this psycho killer is going to decide to pick one of us as the next target. You…Me…Cam… One of us could be next. And we could have no idea until it's too late. We could be stuffed into a dark, dank room for days on end until he finally sends us to…meet our maker." Angela had tears of her eyes, tears of utter fear.

Brennan took Angela hand and linked her fingers with it, whilst placing her other hand on Angela's shoulder. "Look, Angela. I'm not very good at comforting so please just listen to. Nothing is going to happen, to any of us. I promise, we will catch the bastard before he hurts any of us. Besides knowing that the victims are female, Jeffersonian staff, do you really think Hodgins will let you out of his sight?" Both girls chuckled slightly, leaving a smile on their faces.

"Thanks Brennan. I guess you're right. I mean, between Hodgins, Booth and all the security personnel, no one will get us."

"See. There's nothing to be scared about is there?"

"Thanks Bren." Angela wrapped her arms around Brennan, taking her by surprise for a few seconds before she returned the hug. "You're a great best friend" Angela whispered in Brennan's ear.

The hug ended and both women had a faint hint of tears in their eyes. Brennan stood up and left, forgetting the reason for her visit in the first place, leaving Angela to get back to her drawing.

**A/N: And there's chapter 9. Please leave a review to let me know how bad im doing. **


	10. Possible Matches

**A/N: Be warned, this is another short chapter. Im hoping to extend them but its not really working.**

Chapter 10 – Possible Matches

Once again Brennan was sat in her office. She was trying to work on a new chapter for her new novel, whilst cataloguing all the information on the case and coming up with a logical conclusion of what happened to the victims.

_All had been kidnapped and killed seven days afterwards. Why seven?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the cell phone. Without looking at caller ID, she picked it up.

"Brennan." Her voice was professional but distant and vague.

"_Bones?"_ Booth voice sounded from the phone and Brennan attention was turned to it.

"Booth?" Brennan's voice wasn't distant or vague when she answered and some of the professionalism had gone.

"_You o.k.?"_ His voice full of concern as he asked.

"Yeah im fine, just going over the case notes and im trying to write another chapter of my novel. Can I do anything for you?"

"_Oh. Am in this one too?_"

"Booth…"

"_I know, I know. 'The characters are not based on anyone you actually know, the cases are the only thing remotely true, blah, blah, blah'. So I guess that means your busy then?_" His voice had a hint of disappointment in it, but Brennan never caught it.

"Yes. Unless it's relevant to the case, then im sorry Booth but it will have to wait."

"_Well, I was gonna swing by and ask if you where up for another trip to see Miss Carlton, but after your behaviour yesterday I thought it best to call rather than show up abruptly_."

"Oh yeah. Sorry about that, I was…in a bad mood."

"_Really hadn't noticed_." Both began to laugh at the obvious sarcasm in his voice.

"Oh God. Was I really that bad?" Booth could hear the titter of laughter in her voice as she spoke and it brought a smile to his face.

"_Well, from what I heard then yeah_."

"What do you mean _from what you heard_?" her voice had become analytical.

Booth paused before speaking. "_Well, that's not important. So you wanna come_?"

"Sure. Are you going to pick me up or am I meeting you there?"

"Answer your question?" The question didn't come from her phone, it came from her office doorway. She looked up and saw Booth there smiling at her, phone still pressed to his ear.

Brennan smiled back at him and snapped her cell phone shut.

"Hey, you hung up on me." Booth put on a fake sad face and Brennan's grin widened slightly.

Booth too was now smiling as she grabbed her coat and made her way out her office.

* * *

"O.k. So it's a possible match that the ex boyfriend of Rebecca Jones _could _have been Kayla Carlton's stalker. How did you know that it was a possibility?" Brennan asked as she climbed into the car.

Booth too climbed into his SUV. "Well, we got a general description of the stalker from Miss Carlton and when we met with ex boyfriend he seemed to fit the description." He had a smug smile on his face, which made Brennan roll her eyes and advert her gaze to out the window as Booth started the engine.

"So what now? Ask the Morgan's if they can link this man with their daughter somehow?" Brennan turned to Booth as they pulled out the drive.

"Sounds like a plan. Although it'll have to wait till tomorrow. I have a meeting with Cullen in about half an hour." Booth turned to Brennan who was once more looking out the window.

The rest of the drive to the Jeffersonian was done in comfortable silence. Once Brennan had walked into the Jeffersonian Booth had driven to the Hoover Building.

**A/N: Up next, the plot moves on at a bit of a quicker pace, hopefully. Please review.**


	11. AN: Apology

Sorry about the long wait, but today was the last day of school before the summer holidays and teachers always give you a ton of homework in the last few weeks to finish by the time you break up. Meaning the last two weeks I have been overusing my computer for homework, and staying up way too late to finish coursework. So an untimely ban from the computer was issued from my mum…interfering even more with my Fic writing.

So I have only just got the opportunity to write an apology. Now I have to try and write a Fic, which is when you realise that writer's block is a real bitch.

Please look out for the next chapter relatively soon, hopefully. 

Hannah


	12. Big Mistake

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A/N: Chapter 11, read and review...

Chapter 11 – Big Mistake

On her way out of the lab at about 7pm, after being forced by Angela to be out at a semi reasonable time, Brennan made her way towards the exit, and then the parking garage at the Jeffersonian where her car was waiting for her. But so was something else.

When she reached it she realised that there was someone sat on the floor by the driver's door. It was Phillip Barrett. When Brennan stopped in front of him, he jerked his had up and looked to Brennan. He then stood up too.

"Oh Dr Brennan, Hi."

"Mr Barrett, what are you doing here?" Brennan asked nervously as she took the keys out of her bag.

"Oh, I was just waiting for you so I could ask you something." He shuffled his feet a little whilst waiting for a reply as to whether or not to continue.

"OK?" Brennan held her keys in her hand and gestured for him to continue.

"Well…Um, I was just wondering if perhaps…you would like to go out sometime?" He smiled nervously at her.

Brennan stood still, quite shocked at the question, but didn't need to think twice about what she was going to answer him. "Oh, um Mr Barrett…"

"Phillip, please."

"…Mr Barrett I'm sorry but I can't."

Barrett stood up straight and looked her dead in the eye "Why not? Is it because of Agent Booth?" He asked curiously but there was an underline of something similar to jealousy.

"What? What would Booth have to do with my decisions on who to date?" Brennan asked genuinely confused at his line of questioning.

"Are you dating Agent Booth?" he pushed on.

"No. Why would you think…?" She began to ask but was cut off by Barrett.

"Then what's the problem. Why don't you say yes?" He asked, more forcefully than he shoulder have, taking a step towards her.

"Because I don't want to." She said plainly, hoping it would make him leave. No such luck.

"Why not? Come on one date wont do any harm." He persisted, a smile playing across his lips.

Brennan crossed her arms and said sternly, "No Mr Barrett. I said no. And I stick by my decision. Please can I get to my car?"

"Temperance…" He spoke her name as if talking to child that didn't understand.

"Please can you just call me Dr Brennan?"

"Temperance, one date is all I want. All I want is to take you out to dinner and you can see what im really like. Nothing more. Please." Again he spoke to her as if she where a child that knew no better.

"Mr Barrett I said no. And that's final. Now move out of my way before I move you myself?" She threatened, but it didn't work.

"Not until you say yes." Even more persistent now and he was talking slightly louder.

"Move." She spoke sternly again but it again didn't work.

"No." He stood his ground, which was a bad idea as the next thing he knew he had his arm wrenched up behind his back and was screaming against the window of the car next Brennan's. "Ok. O.k."

She realised his wrist and he stalked off rubbing it sorely. She watched him leave, wondering whether perhaps it was a bad idea to injure a possible killer and stalker. Turning back to her car she decided that she no longer wanted to go home, so she turned back from her car and walked back into the lab.

* * *

When Angela went in search of Brennan, she discovered her best friend at her desk, head resting on her arms and the sound of shallow breathing emanating from her. This was getting to be an annoyingly regular occurrence with Brennan lately. Smiling softly, Angela made her way over to the desk and rested her hand on Brennan's arms, whispering in her ear. When the anthropologist did not stir, she tried again, this time speaking a little louder and shaking her arm. Brennan's head slowly raised and she became aware of Angela stood by her.

"Angela? Is it morning?" She asked sleepily and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"No Bren, its 11:30 at night. Go home! I've already told you once and now im telling you again. Home now, bed sleep." Angela walked around the desk and tried to lift her out of her chair.

"O.k. I just have a few more things to do here first."

"No Bren. Now." Angela's voice was even and unwavering.

"But…" Brennan was about to retort before Angela cut in.

"No buts. You are going to go home, sleep and when you come back here tomorrow morning your brain will be able to work better." Her voice was stern and told Brennan she was not going to win this argument.

Brennan let out a sigh and nodded her head. "O.k., fine. You'll let me pack up at least?"

A titter of laughter escaped Angela's mouth before she replied. "Yes Sweetie. Pack up. Now I have to go now, Jack's waiting for me. But if I come in tomorrow morning and find you stayed all night, you are going to have seriously angry artist on your hands." She ended harsh but with a smile.

"Thanks for the warning Ange." Brennan smiled at her friend as she stepped out of the office to Hodgins who Brennan hadn't noticed waiting.

She added a few lines to the report, gathered up the files, checked her computer was off, stacked the files on the other side of the room, and grabbed her purse and cat before heading out the door. On her way out she turned the lights to her office and the lab off. Now the only noise was the slow humming that could be heard of the machines doing overnight work. She reached the exit doors without bumping into anyone, surprisingly. She had begun to dig through her purse to find her keys when a noise behind her made Brennan stop. She slowly turned and not seeing anything turned back around and continued to her car, blaming it on her tiredness. She had finally found her car and located her keys when she thought she heard feet scuffing across the parking lot floor. She looked in the window of her car, and seeing the reflection of a person turned around but was met with something hard connecting with the back of her head and then the dense blackness she recognised from getting one hell of a knock on her head.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed, now please review.**


	13. 7 Day Countdown

**A/N: O.k. Chapter 12 comin' at ya...**

Chapter 12 – 7 Day Countdown

Booth casually strode into the Jeffersonian, whistling to a tune he got off the radio that morning, although he could no longer remember what the song was called or what the words were. He walked into Brennan's office to find her not there, so he made his way to the platform, the second most likely place for her to be. When he got there he swiped his card and stepped up to the platform.

"Hey squints, anyone seen Bones?" He asked cheerfully before noting their faces. Angela, Hodgins, Zack and Cam all turned to face him. Their looks seem to resemble something like worry or anxiousness, or in Angela's case something close to a dam breaking. "What's wrong?"

They all looked at each other before Hodgins, whose arm was resting around Angela's shoulders, spoke up. "She's gone, man."

"What? Who's gone?"

"Dr Brennan, she's…well, we can't find her."

"She's not answering her cell, home phone, her cars still in the parking lot and I found this next to it." Angela stepped aside and showed Booth, who was walking forward, what, was on the empty table. Brennan's bag and keys were there, along with her smashed phone.

"Bones…Where are you?" Booth whispered so quietly that Angela could only just about hear him.

* * *

Running water. That was what she could hear. The sound of a tap running in the distance. And footsteps. Footsteps were sending vibrations through the floor. A floor that wasn't warm, soft or carpeted…but hard and cold, concrete. Opening her eyes, darkness surrounded her. No windows, no lights…nothing but a lone door with blinds over the glass to stop her from being able to see. Lifting her head off the floor seemed like such a hard task, but it need to be done so she could properly inspect her surroundings. Up in a sitting position, she surveyed the room, an open door that lead to what looked to be some sort of dishevelled bathroom, a cupboard like thing in the corner, the door hanging off and empty, and her. That was all that occupied this stone walled room.

Raising her hand to her head, she felt a warm, crusted surface on the back of her head. Pulling her hand away, she saw it was red, meaning she had suffered a blow to the head and probably no that long ago, judging by the scabbing and the slight bleeding that was still occurring. And it was most likely the cause of the head splitting migraine she had at this current moment in time. She tried to raise her other arm, but after a sharp pain shot through it, she lowered. Analysing the throbbing limp, she cam the conclusion she was suffering from the shattering of her right distil-radius and a minor fracturing of the humerus as well…meaning she had put up a fight against her captors.

She looked at the watch on her left right and read in the dim light that it was 5:30pm, judging by the lighting, and that she had been unconscious for almost whole two days.

Footsteps outside the door brought her attention back and she saw the silhouette of a tall male figure on the other side of the door. She watched as the doorknob turned and the door swung open.

"Hello, _Dr Brennan_."

"Barrett." Brennan winced as she felt a surge of pain take over her head. Barrett noticed this and smiled at the pain he had inflicted.

"You put up quite a fight." He walked further into the room and stood a few feet short of were Brennan remained sat. "In the parking lot I was able to hit you around the back of the head and you were out like a light. But when you came around in the car, that's a different story." He had that horrible maniacal smile on his face that murderers have when they've done something evil.

Barrett's gave dropped to her injured arm, and hers followed. "I bet that hurts quite a bit now. Getting it slammed into the car door should do the trick." That smile never left his face and it was starting to creep Brennan out not. "Well, make yourself at home Temperance. You're going to be here for 7 days."

Barrett walked back over to the door and slammed it shut behind him. The various jingles that followed signalled that he had locked it. Brennan once again took in her surroundings, finding that door the only means of escape.

* * *

"Well, what do we know?" Booth asked, turning to face the rest of the group. They all looked to Angela, and Booth followed.

"I um…I told Brennan to get out of the lab and that was about half eleven last night." Angela quickly fled the platform and went in the direction of her office. Hodgins then turned and chased after her. Zack looked confused at her sudden exit and questioned it.

"Why did Angela suddenly leave?" He looked to Cam but it was Booth who answered.

"She feels guilty." He spoke in a low voice, staring at Angela's office.

"Why, she did not take Dr Brennan." Zack remained utterly confused.

Booth answered again, his voice rising out of annoyance. "No, but she made her leave. She's going to think that if she hadn't made her leave then she might still be o.k." He turned back around and faced the examination table, to avoid letting Cam and Zack see the tears that were threatening to form in his eyes.

"I doubt it. I think if the kidnapper wanted to take Dr Brennan then they would have waited for the opportune moment. Angela making her leave just made that moment last night. There's not really anything she could have done." Zack stated this simply and began to look a lot less confused, but more upset at the disappearance of his mentor.

Booth turned back around and faced Zack. "Yeah, well don't tell us that. Tell Angela." He practically yelled it.

"O.k. I will." Zack then scurried off to Angela's office, more to get away from the angry agent than to deliver the message.

"No Zack…Booth didn't actually mean…" Cam shouted out to Zack but he had gone out of ear shot by now, so instead she turned to the agent, who once again had his back to her.

"Booth?" Cam took a step towards Booth as she spoke.

"Yeah Cam?" Booth leant on the exam table and could just hear Brennan's voice telling him not to lean there because it will _contaminate the evidence._

"Are you o.k.?" She placed a hand on his shoulder, knocking him out of his revere.

"I'm fine." He replied and shrugged off her hand, standing slightly straight than before.

Cam sighed and took a step back. "Then maybe you want to try and not bite everyone's head off. Zack didn't mean anything by what he said. He just too much like Dr Brennan. He needs to find a rational explanation for everything, so by saying what he said, he can come to terms with the fact that she's been kidnapped."

"Yeah well that doesn't exactly make it any easier for the rest of us to hear." Booth muttered under his breath as he turned and stalked off down the steps.

"Booth, where are you going?" Cam shouted after him.

Booth span but continued to take small steps backwards. "We only have seven days to find her. I'm going to find something, anything that will lead to where she is." And again, he turned and left the building.

**A/N: So tell me what you thought. Does it make any sense what so ever?**


	14. Day 1

**A/N: Really sorry for the late update. Here's chapter 13...**

Chapter 13 – Day 1

Walking around the room with her hands on the wall, she determined that from the dampness of the walls she was buried in some sort of basement underground that could be by a stream. Knocking, and hitting, the wall, Brennan discovered that it was too thick for anyone to hear her screaming, if there was anyone to hear her. Though that didn't stop her trying anyway. It did however earn her a few screams and yells from Barrett and a couple of punches. She winced as she lay on one of the bruises that had formed. The floor maybe hard, cold and bumpy, but it was better than standing up 24/7. She had checked the cupboard to see if there was anything more comfortable in there to lie on but as she suspected, it was empty, and too unstable for her to sit on, rather than the floor.

Brennan kept her back to the door. It would open every now and then, presumably Barrett checking she hadn't escaped or died, yet. He would come in every few hours with a bottle of water and every third time a sandwich or chocolate bar. It was just enough to stop her from passing out or her stomach eating itself. Admittedly she never ate much in a day, unless Booth made her, but being trapped in a cold basement with nothing to do but wait, makes you realise when you're hungry, or thirsty, or tired.

She had also started to wish that she had a piece of paper and a pen with her. When she was kidnapped by the gravedigger, she and Hodgins had written goodbye notes. It made it easier for her accept she may die if she knew that everyone that she cared about knew that she did. And that she was able to say goodbye, even if it wasn't to their faces. But here, when she had been kidnapped by Barrett there was no pen, no paper, no way to say goodbye. And no one to talk to which made the time there even more unbearable. She didn't have any of her friends by her side and no way to communicate with them. In her mind, this was that fictional Hell that Booth would go on about. The fact that this time Angela would only grieve for one friend made the loneliness seem better in a away, and that no one else was suffering this fate that she was.

She couldn't take the same routine anymore, and she had only been there one day. She had to do something. The next time Barrett came in, she was going to find out what was happening, why she was there and where there was.

* * *

"Agent Booth?"

Booth was sat in his office going over the notes from the previous murder victims. With all of Brennan and Zack's bones notes, and Hodgins' bug and slime information, Cam's tissue and tox results, and Angela's sketches of the three victims, he was no closer to finding her than he was three hours ago.

His coat flung over the back of his chair, and tie loosely hung around his neck, and the front of his hair stocking up slightly from the times his hand had been drug through it, the agent looked quite dishevelled. The knock at the door and voice that followed it was his first really distraction from the reports that were lay in front of him. "Yes Charlie. What is it?"

"Um, the man, um…" He consulted the file in his hands for the name,"…Mr Barrett, that you told me to find, he's not at work. Boss says he's off ill, wont be in for the rest of the week." The younger agent looked slightly worried that Booth would perhaps scream or shout. His partner was missing and the last time that happened he could remember seeing him pining someone to the table by their throat.

"I figured as much. With him being our prime suspect the likelihood of him being at work was pretty slim." He stood up from the chair and took the file that Charlie had given him on Barrett. "Thanks Charlie. Just, uh…get everyone on the look out for him. If he turns up I wanna know about it."

The second agent nodded then left the office, slightly confused at the other agents calmness until he heard Booth kick his desk and it move across the floor.

After kicking his desk, Booth grabbed his coat and made to go back to the Jeffersonian. Hoping they had found something to help locate Brennan. It seemed as though someone was answering his prayers as when he got the car his phone rang with Angela Montenegro on the other end.

"Booth."

"It's Angela. Booth you need to get your ass over her right now."

"O.k. I'm on my way." He slammed the phone shut threw it on the passenger seat of the car and quickly drove to the Jeffersonian. Angela wouldn't be sounding that happy unless she had some good news.

* * *

She had spent the last hour thinking up ways she could trick her captor into talking, and so far had come with the direct approach, but she doubted that would work. But with it being her only option, she decided she had nothing to lose so she would try it anyway. Right on cue, when she made that decision, the door lock started clicking at it swung open.

Normally when he brought her water, he would roll it across the floor, and food would be left by the door, but this time he walked right up to her and placed the bottle and plate with the sandwich on, on the floor next to her.

"Why am I here?" Her voice sounded weird, different than what she remembered it sounding like.

"You'll find out soon." He stood straight and made his way to the door.

"What do you want with me?" He voice came out a little louder this time.

He paused at the doorway and turned to look over his shoulder, saying in a rather creepy and psychotic serial killer way, "You'll find out soon." He then shut the door and began to lock it again.

* * *

Going past security and walking into the lab, the squints were nowhere to be seen. Not on the platform, nor he balcony above from what he could see, and not walking around the lab either.

"Booth!" He heard his voice being shouted from somewhere near Angela's office. Looking in that direction he saw Zack motioning for him to come over. He began walking very quickly to the office and when he entered he saw Angela, Hodgins Zack and Cam stood around Angela's computer, looking happier than they were before.

"Did you find something to help find Bones?" His voice and his expression conveyed hope.

"Most likely. But there is the off chance that he's moved where he's keeping his victims before he kills them." Hodgins spoke doubtfully, and turned to the others.

"Well what did you find?"

"Well the soil trances on all the victims are all the same. It points to them being at the Jeffersonian around the time before they were abducted, most likely they were abducted from the Jeffersonian, and traces pointing to the lake. Just two samples. But then I found a third one, on our third victim. The third one has a minutely small higher concentration of nickel in it. At the first quick glance, it looked like the other samples that I had, but then when I did a few more tests I found that the concentration was higher, meaning that I found a possible area for the victims to have been taken." They all turned to Angela, who clicked a couple of keys and a map popped up of the lake.

She pointed to the screen and began to explain. "Now, hear are the areas where the victims were found. And this is the area that the soil matches too. Now in this area, is a small shack here that could have held the victim." She looked quite pleased, but there was still something wrong with the expression she had, and Booth saw it.

"That's great. I'll get some agents to meet me there and we'll go have a look. You guys are geniuses." He looked genuinely happy as he took out his phone.

But Hodgins spoke up before he dialled. "Booth, like I said, there's the off chance that she's not there. The other two victims…"

"Hodgins don't worry, she'll be there." Booth seemed pretty sure and Hodgins almost let go what her was about to say, but decided to tell him anyway.

"But Booth. The other victims didn't have the soil on them. He may have taken just the one victim there." He seemed pretty cautious, but quite sure, so Booth didn't argue, but left, calling in for back up on his way out.

The remaining squints all looked at each other with hopeful expressions before leaving to their own separate offices.

**AN: There was chapter 13. Hope you enjoyed. please review.**


	15. Day 2

**A/N: Chapter 14. Hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I realise I haven't written one of these in a whil;e, if at all. So I thought I would remind you that I dont own Bones. Only when you see something this in a show should you start questioning. **

**Anyway...Chapter 14...**

Chapter 14 – Day 2

Barrett threw Brennan to the floor and removed her blindfold and mouth gag. She in took a deep breath as she hit her injured arm against the back wall. Barrett threw a bottle of water down at Brennan's feet and quickly walked out the room, leaving Brennan's hands tied in front of her. Brennan sat against the back wall and surveyed the new room. It was basically the same as the old one, except this time it had two windows on the wall she was leant against. One on the left and one on the right, both just over 3 foot wide and a foot tall. The glass was filthy, covered in what looked like dust and mud on the outside. But despite the uncleanlyness of the windows, there was quite a bit of light coming through. Looking at her watch, that had cracked glass from where she was thrown into the wall, she saw it had just turned a quarter past two. Picking up the bottle she took off the lid and took a sip. It was quite cold, meaning it was probably stored either in a fridge or a really cold place. Or had just been bought.

About half an hour later Barrett came back into the room, another bottle in his hand, this time it was an orange colour. As he walked in he kicked something. Looking to the floor he saw the thick rope he had needed to use to keep Brennan's hands bound. It had been cut through. Looking up at her he saw that she had now sat with her knees tucked up to her chest and arms wrapped around her legs, chin resting on her knees.

"How'd you?" He picked up the rope, indicating the obvious fact it had been cut off.

Brennan didn't speak, she just lifted up the bottle and took the lid off, holding up for Barrett to see.

"You cut it using the bottle lid? Wow that's…that's impressive. I didn't know that the lid where sharp enough to do that." He threw the rope in to the corner of the room and walked over to Brennan, handing her the bottle. She looked at it curiously before taking it, but she didn't drink any just placed it on the floor next to her.

Brennan looked up at her capture. "Why are you holding me here? And why did you move me?"

"Well Temperance. We moved because your team found the bodies and if Jack Hodgins keeps to his impeccable record, im sure that he would find some sort of soil proof leading him and your FBI boyfriend to the shack near the lake which you were previously held in. I just needed to keep you somewhere, that's why we moved. And why im holding you here. Now the reason im holding you at all will become apparent tomorrow." After he finished talking, Barrett got up and walked straight out the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

"Did you lot get anything from that note?" Booth hopped up the stairs after gaining entry to the platform and directed his question and the two inhabitants of the platform.

"Nope." Hodgins turned around from the computer and looked straight at the Agent.

"Fingerprints? DNA? Anything?" Booth took a few steps toward Hodgins as he listed the three things off on his hands.

"No, sorry man. This guy knew how to cover his tracks." Hodgins replied and turned back to the computer before him.

"There was nothing at that shack?" Angela asked Booth with slight irritance in her voice. Her best friend had been missing for two days and the only they had was that she was being held by Barrett and if they didn't hurry then they would be likely to find her body floating in the lake.

Booth simply shook his head in reply.

_Flashback…Yesterday…_

_Booth and the backup team entered the small shack. There was only one room, until an agent found a stairwell leading to a basement. They made their way carefully down the stairs and came to a door. Kicking it open, they swarmed that room and saw nothing, expect a single sheet of paper in the centre of the room. Upon it was written: _To Late. Better luck next time._ The team search the whole building and found no hint that Brennan or Barrett had been there. _

"Well, he has to be holding her somewhere. Were there any maps or directions found there?"

"No the place was totally empty. Completely clean. Damn!" Booth shouted as he kicked the railings which made both Hodgins Angela jump as it echoed in the large lab.

The two exchanged a look and turned back to what they were doing before the agent arrived, whilst said agent walked over to his partner's office. He did that a lot in the last couple of days.

* * *

"So, do I get to find out where im being held. Or why?" Brennan questioned her capture when he came in on one of his timely visits.

Barrett smiled at her, handed her the new bottle of water and couched down in front of her. "The where you aren't going to find out anytime soon, and the why is simply this. You rejected me, so now you're going to be punished."

"This is what you do when you're rejected. I'm surprised more victims didn't show up in that lake." This earned a slap around the face from Barrett.

"I'd watch that pretty little mouth of yours. I've been really nice to you, feeding you, giving you drinks. That could easily stop. And besides, you're only gonna be here for the next five. I'd make the most of it if I were you." An evilly large grin appeared on his face.

Brennan had ha enough of this. In one swift movement she raised her head up quickly and it came in hard contact with Barrett's face, causing him to go flying backwards and blood to pour furiously from his nose. His hand came up to his nose and he became blind to the fact that Brennan had made it to the doorway, which he had left unlocked. She threw the door open and ran up the stairs that were in front of her, the only way out.

Reaching the top she found another door which she also threw open. Looking around she saw she was in what must have been a very beautiful house. Now everything had an inch layer if dust, except for a path Barrett must have taken as it was the only patch of the floor that didn't have dust. Following the path, she made it to the front door. It lead out onto a street of rundown houses. None looked like they had been lived in for years, just like the one she was escaping from. Making a quick decision, she decided that if Barrett had a gun then he could shoot her if she ran down the street so she decided to try and hide in another house. Running to the one next door she found, to her relief, that it was unlocked and made her way hurriedly in. The house was identical to the one she had just left, except for the colour of the walls. Carefully, she looked out the window and saw no one there. Then Barrett came into her view. He looked to be holding nothing except a knife that looked to match the marks on the victims, so he obviously didn't have a gun. Brennan watched as he made his way t the sidewalk. He looked up and down the streets and seeing nothing he must have realised that she ran into a house, and he made his way to the house across the street. She watched as he knocked and waited a moment, before opening the door and entering. He closed the door behind him and Brennan decided to run. She wrenched open the door and left it slightly ajar so it looked like she had run in rather than out and ran across the street, hiding down the side of the house next door to the one Barrett entered.

She waited in silence for a few minutes before Barrett re-emerged onto the sidewalk. He looked at all the other houses and Brennan watched as he took the bait she had left. She watched again, as he made his way over to the house she had just emerged from, his knife held higher up, ready to strike. He carefully pushed the door open, without making a sound and entered the house, once again closing the door behind him. Brennan took her chance. Surely he would take a long time in there if he thought she was in there. She took off at a sprint down the street, constantly keeping an eye out for cars of people, whilst also taking frequent looks back to check Barrett was still in the house. She reached the corner and saw the door open. She quickened her pace as much as she could and sprinted hard around the corner. She had made it out the street without being seen. She had run past six houses, so that ment that he had at least twelve more to check on this side of the house she was in, so he would be a while before he started to chase after he. But, nonetheless she continued to run down the streets, looking for any sign of people of a phone.

**A/N:So, there was chapter 14. Please tell me what you thought of it. Please, please, please review.**


	16. Marathon of an Escape

**A/N: O.k. Here is chapter 15. Now I'm going to say, seeing as it's a quick update and I just wrote all this, it's probably crap, but I really what to finish this because I want to know the needing. I'm thinking it up as I go along so I only find out moments before you all do. Tell me if it doesn't make sense please. **

Chapter 15 – Marathon of an Escape

Booth was sat on Brennan's office couch. He came in there whenever he wanted to think, and because it reminded him of Brennan. The artefacts, the various bones around the room, the books, and the few pictures she had.

One was the one they all had. It was of their team, Cam, Zack, Hodgins, Angela, Her, and Himself. It was similar to the one that had come out in the paper shortly before Epps escaped only this one they were all in casual clothes and were more relaxed, and carefree looking.

Then there was one of Brennan and Angela up in the lounge up the stairs. He could remember that moment as he was the one that took the photo. Angela insisted that she and Brennan have their photo taken, and Brennan reluctantly agreed. She was only pulling a sincere smile because of something Booth had said, though he couldn't remember what it was now.

And the third was Russ, Amy, Emma, Haley and her dad. It was taken after Brennan's father had been set free. Angela, Booth and Hodgins persuaded her to go spend some 'family time' with them. He smiled as he remembered the fight she had tried to put up. She said that since they were all a family they should come as well, before Angela said only biologically related family members. He could also remember the look he got after Brennan told Angela he was the one that told her they were all a family.

After viewing the photos for what felt like the hundredth time, he took his seat back on the couch and began to think. But he wasn't able to as his phone started to ring and vibrate in his pocket. Looking at caller ID he saw a number he didn't recognise and answered it.

"Booth."

* * *

She felt like she had been going for hours, when in fact it was only ten minutes. The sprint she had started off with had now turned into a jog. She stopped and stood on the sidewalk with her hands on her head, aiding her breathing. Looking around she saw that she thought was the sidewalk was just an elevated part of the road. Brennan looked up and down the street straining her ears for any vehicle. She really didn't want to stay on the road in case Barrett came past in a car. If he did she had no chance of escape, she was too tired. Focusing her eyes she looked down at her watch, 8:30, before she began to jog down the road again, still not seeing any sign of vehicles or people.

Another twenty minutes she came to a gas station. It looked run down but promising as she saw lights on inside. She ran the last few steps and made it to the door. Pushing it open she walked, breathlessly up to the counter, where a girl that looked to be in her late teens was sat, filing her nails and popping gum.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes how can I help…whoa what happened to you. You get abandoned out here of something?" The girl looked up at Brennan and stopped filing her nails.

"Kind of. Do you have a phone I could use?" Brennan had a small nagging feeling that she was going to say no, but was relieved when the girl pointed to the corner and there was a landline phone hanging on the wall. "Thanks." Brennan said as she walked over to it, the girl's gaze following her.

Without a second thought she picked up the receiver and dialled Booth number. Three ring tones and…

"Booth."

"Hey Booth. It's Brennan. Just wondering if you could come pick me up?"

"_Bones!?"_

"Yes Booth, it's me."

"_But Bones, how'd you…what happened?"_

"Come get me now, ask questions later."

"_Right. Where are you?"_

Brennan turned around and looked at the girl behind the counter and went to ask, but before she could she looked out the window and saw Barrett getting out of a car. Brennan mindlessly put the receiver back down, effectively hanging up on Booth, and told the girl, "Don't tell him you've seen me."

She crawled down the side of the aisle that separated the small gas station. She heard the door open and Barrett's voice. "Excuse me. I'm looking for my cousin. She got really angry at me kind of ran away. I was wondering if you had seen her. She's about this tall," Barrett gestured holding up his hand at a height similar to Brennan's, "and has reddish-brown hair, probably looked like she had been running."

The girl behind the counter kept filing her nails and popping her gum. "Nope. Sorry."

"Yeah, well thanks for your help." He spoke bitterly as he slammed the door shut, making the glass in it and the windows shudder. Brennan saw the girl watch Barrett leave before she spoke again.

"He's gone. You're safe."

"You sure?" Brennan asked, still hugging her knees.

"Well, unless he can make his car go invisible then yeah, I'm sure. Who was that guy?" The girl replied sarcastically as Brennan stood up, about to reply when the phone rang.

Brennan looked at the girl confused. "Since when do people called the gas station? I can't think of any reason."

"Could be my mum. She owns the place and checks up on whoever's on duty. I'll get, trust me when I say you don't want to be stuck in a conversation with my mother." The girl picked up the receiver and greeted the person with the name of the station. She listened to the person speak before saying o.k. and handing the phone to Brennan. "It's for you."

Brennan took the phone cautiously and put it to her ear. "Hello."

"_Bones, its Booth."_

"Oh, hey Booth."

"_Don't 'oh hey Booth' me. What the Hell happened? And where are you?"_

Brennan gave Booth the directions and told him to hurry before hanging up and turning to the girl. She spent the next twenty minutes telling the girl what had happened to her before the girl realised who she was and went on to say that she loved the books she wrote. In that time Booth had pulled up outside and came storming in.

"Bones."

"Booth." Booth walked up to her and enveloped her in a tight hug, barely giving her air to breathe. Brennan wrapped her arms around him before telling him that he was cutting off her air supply. Booth pulling and looked at her face, a slight mark had been left from where Barrett had slapped her.

She then spent the next twenty minutes repeating the story of what happened to her, and how she escaped to Booth, then to some other FBI agents. Booth's gaze never left her as she recounted the tale again.

Finally, Booth was told he was allowed to take her home, and after instructing the agents to catch Barrett, that's exactly what he did. But of course, not without making a little pit stop at the Jeffersonian. As soon as she set foot in there she wished she hadn't as she was engulfed by a pair of arms. After being released she realised that it was just Angela, and then she got a hug from Hodgins and a welcome back from Zack and Cam. Booth was stood behind her the whole time, watching as she yet again had to recount the kidnapping story.

"Well, that's pretty impressive."

"Yeah, but its Bren." Angela said half jokingly and Cam nodded in agreement, but Zack obviously didn't get the joke.

"Well, what difference does that make?" Everyone started to laugh at Zack misunderstanding before Angela drew the attention away.

"So Sweetie, you up for a celebration?"

"No, I really just want to go home, have a shower and sleep. But not before I get something to eat. I'm surprising hungry."

No one bothered to point out that after being held captive for nearly two days would make you hungry and just said goodbye as Booth took her home.

**A/N: Theer you go. I need to know, should I have more and if you think YES please tell me what you want to see. I dont have a clue what to put after this. Pretty please leave a review, even if you dont like it. I just need to know there's people out there. **


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